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NuDown’s Inflatable Jackets Let You Create Your Ideal Temperature

Personalized climate control, anyone? With NuDown's line of inflatable jackets and vests, adjusting your internal thermostat is as easy as squeezing a pump. Eschewing traditional insulation, the Reno, Nev.-based company uses a system of air chambers to capture and store body heat. A pocket-sized bulb, stowable when not in use, controls the amount of air that buffers against the cold. Guarding against fluctuating temperatures is a cinch. NuDown recommends applying between 20 pumps for slightly nippy days to 40 or more for the "cruelest of colds." Facing tundra-like conditions? Argon gas can substitute for the regular stuff if you need additional insulation.

COLD COMFORT

Unlike down or other animal-derived materials, NuDown garments are expected to stay warm even when wet. Even better? Independent testing by Kansas State University’s thermal-research facility rated the firm’s argon-inflated gear with a higher clothing-insulation value than down jackets with a similar fit and function.

“NuDown is changing the way consumers think about insulation,” says Bob Hall, CEO of NuDown, in a press release. “Our patented NuTech inflation technology gives outdoor devotees the ability to control their body climate, depending on changing weather conditions or their level of activity.”

Gone are the days of dropping off that extra layer in the base lodge or stopping to tuck it away in a backpack. “This is on-the-go flexibility, setting a new industry standard,” Hall adds.

NuDown’s upcoming fall collection comes in three styles for men and three for women. Each piece features weather-resistant Polartec stretch nylon, a bamboo-charcoal lining for wicking and odor control, and critically taped seams.

If black isn’t your thing, the jackets are available in a host of colorways with evocative names such as “ballad blue,” “chili,” “orchid,” and “macaw.” The toppers also include Recco reflectors that aid detection by rescuers in worst-case scenarios.

Just one downside: NuDown’s technology doesn’t come cheap. Expect to pay from $400 for a vest to $600 for a jacket.

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Slideshow

NuDown's Inflatable Jackets Let You Create Your Ideal Temperature

NuDown

1 of 7

Personalized climate control, anyone? With NuDown's line of inflatable jackets and vests, adjusting your internal thermostat is as easy as squeezing a pump. Eschewing traditional insulation, the Reno, Nev.-based company uses a system of air chambers to capture and store body heat. A pocket-sized bulb, stowable when not in use, controls the amount of air that buffers against the cold. Guarding against fluctuating temperatures is a cinch. NuDown recommends applying between 20 pumps for slightly nippy days to 40 or more for the "cruelest of colds." Facing tundra-like conditions? Argon gas can substitute for the regular stuff if you need additional insulation.

NuDown

2 of 7

Unlike down or other animal-derived materials, NuDown garments are expected to stay warm even when wet.

NuDown

3 of 7

Even better? Independent testing by Kansas State University’s thermal-research facility rated the firm's argon-inflated gear with a higher clothing-insulation value than down jackets with a similar fit and function.

NuDown

4 of 7

“NuDown is changing the way consumers think about insulation,” says Bob Hall, CEO of NuDown, in a press release. “Our patented NuTech inflation technology gives outdoor devotees the ability to control their body climate, depending on changing weather conditions or their level of activity."

NuDown

5 of 7

Gone are the days of dropping off that extra layer in the base lodge or stopping to tuck it away in a backpack. "This is on-the-go flexibility, setting a new industry standard," Hall adds.

NuDown

6 of 7

NuDown's upcoming fall collection comes in three styles for men and three for women. Each piece features weather-resistant Polartec stretch nylon, a bamboo-charcoal lining for wicking and odor control, and critically taped seams.

NuDown

7 of 7

If black isn't your thing, the jackets are available in a host of colorways with evocative names such as "ballad blue," "chili," "orchid," and "macaw." The toppers also include Recco reflectors that aid detection by rescuers in worst-case scenarios.